Warriors: Rising Darkness: Nightfall
by Spirithunter
Summary: A mysterious loner joins Thunderclan. Everyone loves him, except Rainpaw. She tries to tell Dawnstar of her suspicions, but the leader is totally enamoured of him. Then he disappears. And so does Dawnstar. The result: a mess, and an unexpected death...
1. Prologue

Welcome all! This is Spirithunter, and I am proud to annouce that you are about to read the sequel of the successful 'A Single Drop of Rain'! And here, I give you the prologue! Enjoy, and please review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own warriors. **And the line thingy still doesn't work!  
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Rainpaw happily trotted around the camp. She had just finished dinner, and since she had little left to do for her medicine cat training, she had been invited on the evening patrol. She was acting more like a warrior for now, and therefore got to see more of Flameshadow. She always liked that. He was her best friend, anyways.

Rockfur's voice broke the peaceful silence. "The evening patrol is leaving now!" he yowled. Rainpaw hurried over. She liked hunting, and wondered what life would be like if she had taken the warrior's path. But she was more than happy with her life right now—it was a mix of both the fierce warrior's and the peaceful, mystic medicine cat's.

The cats had started to move out. Rainpaw couldn't find Flameshadow in the group, and frowned. Oh well. As she walked, she saw they were headed towards Riverclan's territory. She hadn't seen it since leaf-fall had begun, and it had rained a lot since then. She wondered how high the river would be. As she got closer, she could see the faint glittering of the water, reflecting the sunset. The patrol emerged from the trees to find that the river was almost to Sunningrocks. Rainpaw could see the falls off in the distance, and it was several mouse-lengths shorter. In awe, she padded towards the bank. Steppingstones had been swallowed, and it would be impossible for anyone but Riverclan to cross.

As Rainpaw gazed into the water's churning depths, she suddenly noticed that her reflection had disappeared and was being replaced by various images as she heard Froststar's familiar voice behind her: "A new arrival shall come with the new day. Splinters will shatter dawn, and night will forever fall."

"What?" Rainpaw spun around as the voice faded, hoping to see Froststar there, but there was no one. Not even the patrol, which had moved on without her. She sat down and contemplated what she had heard. _So… someone will come along in the morning, and… no, Starclan's too cryptic to make it _that_ obvious. The new day… the new day… dawn… Dawnstar? Is Dawnstar going to have kits?_ Rainpaw laughed. No, that would be stupid. Why in the world would Starclan make a prophecy about that? Eventually she decided to just move on to the next part. _Splinters will shatter the dawn. That makes no sense whatsoever. Hmm… Night will forever fall. That doesn't sound good._ The apprentice sighed and gave up. Rolling her eyes, she thought, _Starclan's getting too good at this._  
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And so begins the second second installment of the Rising Darkness trilogy. Please review! And a question for reviewers: should I change the title to Nightfall, or do you like Shatterdawn better? Or something else? I was having trouble with the title...


	2. A Bad Day

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors.**

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Rainpaw felt like she had never had a worse day in her life. First, she had promised Flameshadow that she would go hunting with him that afternoon. Then, before she could, she was dragged away by Nightwind, who needed her for whatever reason and set her to work sorting a huge pile of herbs while her mentor tended to old Longwhisker's fleas and ticks. Then, just while she was still working, Flameshadow and several others left to the Gathering. Dawnstar had promised her that she could go, but Nightwind had told her she couldn't because she had to help him. The apprentice sighed in frustration as she waltched her friend set off for Fourtrees. She would Dawnstar's announcement of his warriorship, which she had dearly wanted to see. Now she was stuck doing this stupid _work_…

"Hey, Rainpaw, could you please give me some mouse bile?" Nightwind asked politely.

"I won't be able to finish sorting the herbs," she complained. She would much rather sort herbs all day than get mouse bile in her mouth.

"I'll finish them for you. Now please get it _now_."

Rainpaw sighed and prepared the bile by taking a mouthful of moss and carefully dipping it in. She tentatively stepped over to where Nightwind was sitting and dropped it on the floor in front of him. "Order up," she mewed jokingly. But Nightwind was not in a laughing mood.

"Thanks. Now could you please get me some horsetail and some borage leaves? I think these tick bites are getting infected. Also get a bit of catnip, just in case. He's getting sick, I just want to be safe."

Rainpaw nodded, now beginning to understand his urgency. Poor old Longwhisker. The shabby old tom was almost 15 summers old now, and was the oldest cat in the Clan. Quickly she gathered the herbs her mentor had asked for and set them by his feet. He nodded his thanks, and sent her to go wash off in the river in case she had gotten any mouse bile anywhere. She rushed off, grateful to finally be able to run around outside. She made way to the ravine, then remembered what she had seen at the river the other day. She turned around and ran towards it.

Finding an area where the water was still, Rainpaw waded in and took several huge gulps of water, spitting each one back out before taking the next one. When her mouth was thoroughly rinsed, she plodded back to where she had received the prophecy several days ago. She gazed into the river for several minutes. When nothing spectacular happened, she gave up and padded back to the camp.

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Yeah, that was kinda boring, but from now on I promise it'll all be interesting. Now review! Free catnip for reviewers!


	3. Splinter

Yes, I know, it's short... I'm not great at writing long chapters. But I'll try to make them longer. Anyways, read on, and please review!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors.**  
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Rainpaw's eyes fluttered open as she awakened. Getting up, she took a nice, long stretch, groomed her fur, and stood up. Yawning, she strutted over to Dawnstar's den to see if she could go on the morning patrol. But as she neared the den, she noticed the leader was still sleeping. Rainpaw sighed and went to go get some breakfast.

A while passed, and no one came to announce the patrol. The sun was working its way upward, and she could feel its rays beating down on her more and more. A passing wind ruffled her fur, and the fallen fire-colored leaves of leaf-fall skittered and danced across the ground. Apparently there would be either no patrol this morning, or they had already left.

Suddenly, a strange cat walked into the camp. Rainpaw only caught a quick glimpse of him, but he looked like Rockfur. Curious, she got up and followed him.

Dawnstar was up now, walking out of her den. The newcomer nodded his head in greeting. Rainpaw noticed that cats were beginning to come out of their dens and gather around their leader. Rainpaw made her way to the growing croud, weaved her way to the front, and sat down to listen.

The newcomer was the classic big, broad-shouldered tom. He was a mottled brown with piercing green eyes. He looked handsome, but Rainpaw also thought he looked kind of shady. "My name is Splinter," he began. "I'm a rogue, yes," he said with a sigh, "formerly from Windclan. They threw me out because of a crime I didn't commit. I miss the warrior's life, and was hoping you would let me join your clan and continue."

Dawnstar considered him, thinking about what he had just said. It was credible, but Rainpaw, for one, didn't believe it. "Rogues don't normally come looking for a Clan to accept them. Nor do I normally accept outsiders into my Clan. I never heard anything about an exile from Windclan, though…"

"It happened just after the last Gathering," Splinter told her.

Dawnstar seemed to believe him. Rainpaw saw she also had something in her eyes that looked like… something. She didn't know what. But whatever it was, she hoped it wasn't lust or pity or something like that. "I will think about it, Splinter," Dawnstar said finally, "Come back this evening."

A subtle frustration flashed across his eyes. Rainpaw saw it, but no one else seemed to. He nodded (darkly, might it be said) and turned around, then strode out of the camp. Rainpaw looked at Dawnstar again, and saw admiration lingering in her assertive gaze. But something seemed… different, about Splinter…


	4. A New Clanmate

I'M BACK! I haven't ben on since summer vacation... I'm sorry! But the story continues... as all must. So... I present to you the long-awaited chapter 3!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors.**

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As Rainpaw predicted, Splinter came back at sundown. Dawnstar was sitting in the middle of the camp, awaiting him. The huge brown tom stalked into the camp, head lowered, glowering at his surroundings. He was obviously still mad that he hadn't been accepted earlier.

Suddenly something hit her. If he was a former Windclan cat, then how come his name was Splinter, instead of Splinterclaw or something? Had he been lying about his exile? Rainpaw's fur bristled in annoyance. Where was this cat really from? Flameshadow, who was sitting next to her in the throng of cats surrounding Dawnstar, saw her glare, and placed his tail on her back. Rainpaw looked at him, her confusion and edginess temporarily swept away by Flameshadow's gentle gaze. She sighed and looked at her paws, then looked back up when she heard Splinter settle down and speak.

"So, have you decided, Dawnstar?" he mewed hopefully.

Dawnstar nodded. "I have. You may join. Welcome to Thunderclan." Then she turned around, which confused Splinter, until she leapt onto the Highrock and cried, "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather at the Highrock for a meeting!"

The few cats that hadn't already come out to listen to Dawnstar and Splinter crawled out of their dens, and the group that had been sent on the evening patrol earlier returned just then, in time for the meeting.

"A loner has asked for permission to join the ranks of Thunderclan," Dawnstar yowled. "I have agreed to let him in, and I would like you all to welcome Splinter!" The loner tom strode forth and situated himself by the Highrock, sitting proudly. "He has the makings of a great warrior," the leader continued, "and I hope you all enjoy his company. And Splinter—I hope you enjoy your life here."

Cheers of acceptance rose up from the crowd. A few cats, including Rockfur and Longwhisker, looked unsure of this new arrival, but the rest seemed happy. Splinter leaned up towards Dawnstar and whispered, "If you don't mind… I'd just like to keep the name Splinter. I don't want to change my name."

Dawnstar gave him a puzzled look, then shrugged and replied, "Very well. It is your name." Then she dismissed the meeting and leapt down from the Highrock.

Rainpaw got up and stretched, then went over to the fresh-kill pile. She chose a large mouse, then settled by her favorite stump, and began to eat. A few seconds later, Starfall came padding by, a vole in her mouth.

"Mind if I eat here?" the white-speckled warrior asked, voice muffled by the vole.

"Sure," Rainpaw agreed. After a few minutes of silent eating, she decided to try and strike up a conversation. "What do you think of Splinter?" the apprentice asked.

Starfall finished chewing her last bite and swallowed it. "Hmm," she mewed. "I don't know. He looks like he has potential."

"He said he was exiled from Windclan…"

"Windclan never had a warrior named Splinter or whatever, though. Maybe… perhaps he just wanted a reason, though I see no point in lying. He certainly couldn't impress Dawnstar with that kind of talk," she laughed.

Rainpaw tried to laugh, and succeeded in a hopefully-convincing chuckle. "Hmm. I don't know what I think about him… he was just acting kind of weird when asking Dawnstar about joining the clan… but perhaps I'll grow on him. Or whatever."

"I bet we will, too. I would love to see him in battle." Rainpaw nodded in agreement.

Just then, Dragonclaw padded up to where the two were laying and sat down next to Starfall. "Hey," he purred.

Starfall sat up, and the two began to share tongues. The two warriors were in the beginning stages of love, and had been so for about a moon. "Hey."

"How's your apprentice?" he asked.

"Darkpaw? He's great. Dawnstar said he could become a warrior in a week."

"That's great." Dragonclaw sighed. "I miss having an apprentice."

"Well, there are some kits about to reach six moons right now, maybe Dawnstar will give one to you as an apprentice…"

Rainpaw, knowing she probably wouldn't get any more conversation out of Starfall, finished her mouse, then padded away. She went to go look for Flameshadow, then wound up almost bumping into Nightwind. "Oh… hello," she mewed, grinning apologetically.

"Hi, Rainpaw," he replied. The medicine cat gestured at the sky, then said, "It's almost moonhigh. We should be getting to bed soon. Unless you'd like some more training first?"

"How much more can you possibly teach me? Just yesterday you were-"

"Thinking of something more to teach you, yes," he finished for her. "But I remembered yesterday a few things my mentor discovered herself, then taught me… very good ideas which would probably be best of kept between the two of us."

Rainpaw grinned mischievously. "Bring it on."

Nightwind chortled, then beckoned Rainpaw to follow him. They went to their den and situated themselves in a comfortable arrangement good for chatting.

"So. One thing she taught me was for during battles. Obviously, cats have to eat every once in a while, right? Especially when they're expending so much energy."

Rainpaw nodded, still grinning, though it wasn't quite as brazen.

"Well. Once, she snuck into the enemy clan's camp… while most were away fighting, and in the dead of a moonless, cloudy night. So she snuck in, and stuffed the fresh-kill with catnip. She was thinking about deathberries, but decided that that would be a bit extreme. Anyways, the other clan couldn't think straight for the next week. Actually, it was quite funny to watch them. Some even raided twoleg gardens for more!"

Rainpaw cracked up and fell over backwards, laughing hysterically. Even Nightwind was eventually forced to laugh.

"I was an apprentice then, but I remember them clear as day… the one time Shadowclan became the Spazclan."

Rainpaw laughed even more at this, and Nightwind wondered just what was so funny about it, but soon she got so tired from laughing that she simply fell asleep. Nightwind then curled up in his nest and was asleep within the hour. Both dreamt of catnip and hyper dancing Shadowclan cats, and occasionally snickered in their sleep.


	5. Chapter 4, can't think of a good name

Yeah... I really haven't been on much since summer began. But now I'm back! And I updated again! I would really appreciate reviews, I don't have many so far, and I apologize if this is going somewhat slowly... it will get better. Much better. The plot really starts in just a few chapters... then I will purposely spend months without updating to get you mad. No, not really. I will certainly be writing more, though... I really want to write The War of Seven Clans. I'm expecting that to be the best of the three!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Warriors.**

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For once, Rainpaw got to wake up to a perfectly normal morning. Except for Splinter, nothing was different or otherwise out of the ordinary. She yawned, got up and stretched the sleep out of her muscles, then sleepily padded out towards the fresh-kill pile. She figured that after Nightwind woke up, he would finish teaching her about whatever he didn't get to last night thanks to Rainpaw's merciless laughing fit, then finally turn her free, perhaps after sunhigh. If Nightwind were to wake soon, she would need to finish eating sooner.

Flameshadow was already munching on a chaffinch when Rainpaw got to the fresh-kill pile, so she hastily snatched a vole and settled down next to him. "Hey," she mewed.

"Hello," the orange warrior replied. He gave Rainpaw a brisk swipe with his tongue, then took another bite of his meal. "I really haven't seen you too much lately."

"I know," Rainpaw sighed. Then she screwed up her brow and said through a grimace, "I find it odd to be talking to a warrior who is the same age and size and maturity—well, almost—when I'm still… an apprentice."

Flameshadow snickered, then purred, "Well, you are still an apprentice. I'm sure Nightwind will take you to get your medicine cat's name soon, if he's got any sense in him. Although I suppose it is customary for medicine cats to stay apprentices longer than warriors."

"Yeah, you're right." Rainpaw took a bite of her vole and thought. Then she gave up on thinking and just chewed. She leaned on Flameshadow a bit, so she could just feel his fur brushing against hers. After she had swallowed, she said, "Nightwind'll be waking soon. I better finish eating, I don't think he finished what he wanted to tell me last night."

"What's left for you to learn? I'm sure all he's looking for now is how sharp your skills are, and if you'll know just what to do when you're in a rush."

"He is, but he recalled something last night that his mentor had done." She opened her mouth again to tell the warrior about it, but at that moment, Nightwind stepped out of the den. She saw his eyes search the camp, find her, then turn towards the fresh-kill pile as he began to approach it.

"I need to finish eating," Rainpaw sighed. She took another bite of the vole.

"Okay." Flameshadow then took a last bite of his chaffinch, buried it, and licked Rainpaw one last time before getting up and padding towards where the morning patrol was gathering, about to leave and waiting for him.

Rainpaw sat there and stared at her breakfast, half-eaten, mostly just the meat hidden within the bones, and suddenly lost her appetite. Why, she didn't know, but she picked it up, buried it with Flameshadow's, then walked towards Nightwind. She realized that she felt somewhat sad, and she didn't know why.

"Hey, Nightwind," she said as she approached him, smiling weakly.

"Hello, Rainpaw," Nightwind replied. Then he looked at Rainpaw in the eyes and furrowed his brow. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing," mewed Rainpaw. But Nightwind kept on looking at her, eyes now questioning and seeming to say, 'No, really, what's wrong?' "I don't know, I just feel kinda… down."

Then understanding filled Nightwind's eyes, and he looked satisfied. Smiling, he purred assuringly, "Don't worry, everybody has days like that. They feel sad for no apparent reason, then the next day they're as happy as birds. It's alright." Then he finished his breakfast and got up, making for his den. "Come on, maybe I can help."

Rainpaw followed, again making a feeble attempt to smile. She curled up on her nest in the den and sighed. Nightwind soon came trotting over with a small mouthful of chamomile leaves and a few poppy seeds. "These might help," he said encouragingly. Rainpaw slowly chewed up the leaves and almost instantly began to feel better. Then she swallowed the poppy seeds, bitter botanic flavor rushing through her mouth and throat. Sighing gratefully, she whispered a jumble of letters that was meant to be a "thank you", then went to sleep.

Rainpaw awoke a few hours later, feeling rejuvenated. She felt energetic, a much different—and better—feeling from what she had before her nap. She shot up from her bed and went into the main den, where Nightwind patiently lay, half-asleep. He stirred and lifted his head as she entered the room.

"My, aren't you perky now," he laughed. He got up, shook himself free from sleep, and continued, "Would you like me to finish what I was going to say yesterday, then?"

"Sure," Rainpaw replied happily. She sat down, curled her tail around her feet so it almost covered the dark swirling mark that wrapped around her leg, and waited more patiently than one might've thought possible from one seeming to be so hyper.

Nightwind soon began, and unfurled the stories of his late mentor. Rainpaw stayed almost perfectly stilled the whole time, hardly blinking, never tiring or getting bored as the stories wove into the night. Tales of deeds, tricks (which the old medicine cat had done many of), prophecies, plots, morals and lessons.

As Rainpaw listened to the stories of the prophecies Nightwind's mentor had received, she thought of the prophecies she herself was tied into. The prophecy of Demonclan. The prophecy of dawn and night and new arrivals. Then she realized that the first prophecy hadn't even been fulfilled yet… sure, Rainpaw may have stirred Demonclan, but they hadn't truly awakened yet… but here she was, encumbered by the weight of her own prophecy. Starclan didn't do that… but perhaps this prophecy was related to the other one? Then a salient thought struck her—could this prophecy have been born of Demonclan's awakening?

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Is it true? Is Demonclan already awakened, beginning to move against Starclan? Or is it just a little side prophecy that Starclan gave her to puzzle over while the real problem got ready? Find out... soon! Mwahahaha! (If you didn't notice, I'm a bit hyper... dunno why, I just feel weird) Now please review! 


	6. Return to Starclan

Well, I'm back. I apologize if you missed me... but I'm getting into that "I need to write something!" mode that desperately needs to be sated, so here I am finally with the next chapter of Nightfall!

**...I do not own Warriors.** There, I said it.

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It wasn't fully dark yet, but the moon was already high in the sky. It shone kindly down on the Clans, its purine rays unbroken by clouds and accompanied by the light of the spirits of thousands of cats. _Starclan,_ Rainpaw thought. _I haven't visited you for a while._ She had been sitting by the river, again staring into it, hoping for another guiding sign. Now she got up and headed to her den, wanting to visit Starclan again. The last time she had been there was the time after she had been rescued from Demonclan. She figured she was ready to go back.

It didn't take long for Rainpaw to fall asleep. Soon she was running along the starry path to the home of her ancestors. She was greeted warmly by Froststar.

"Welcome back, Rainpaw," she meowed kindly.

"Thank you," the apprentice replied. "It's been a while… and I want to know more about the prophecy…"

"I figured you would. But I won't tell you anything, for I'm sure…" Froststar paused, unsure if she should go on and of what she would say. "It would haunt your memories, Rainpaw. That's all I can say." The old leader gazed sadly at the gray apprentice. "I'm sorry."

Rainpaw's head drooped. She looked at her paws pitifully. "But I want to know… Froststar, what's the point of giving a prophecy if the receiver can't even understand it?"

"You'll figure it out, Rainpaw. I trust you. You'll figure it out, I'm sure."

"And if I don't…"

"It will alter the Clan's fate no less whether you do or don't. We can't just give away blatant information; if we told, say, Starfall, that Dragonclaw was to die tomorrow, don't you think that would be worse than him just dying? For if we did tell, the news would spread, and then everyone would start panicking and going mad with fear. It would be too chaotic. Besides… it's never good to know too much of your future. Or of another's, for that matter."

Rainpaw sighed. _It seems I can never escape getting a lecture when I come up here, doesn't it?_ She mused.

"I do have one question, though, and if you don't mind, it's kind of random, but…"

"Yes?"

"Why do you always talk so formally?"

Froststar sat there for a moment, pondering how to answer such a question. "Habit, I suppose. When you're here long enough, I guess the older people's speech starts to rub off on you…"

Rainpaw stifled a giggle.

"And I guess I have another question. Is Splinter the newcomer mentioned in the prophecy?"

"What do you think?"

"That he is."

"I guess I can tell you you're right."

"But… I don't like him, Froststar. He seems… weird. He smells funny, nothing like Windclan, and has a strange air about him…"

"Well, I'm afraid that I can't tell you anything about him. Not that I won't tell you; it's that I don't know anything _to_ tell you."

"Oh. Okay. You Starclan people are so weird…" Rainpaw then stopped speaking and looked up at Froststar, a silly apologetic grin spread across her face, showing her teeth.

Froststar licked Rainpaw gently on her forehead. "I know. Now go; the sun will rise not long from now. I promise you, soon will come the time when you will prove to your Clan that you truly deserve that mark on your wrist. Wow, I used five 'you's in the same sentence. Anyways…"

"But I haven't been here very long."

"Time goes differently when you're sleeping. Now get back to that body of yours…"

Rainpaw saw longing in Froststar's eyes, and wondered just how much she missed true life. She said her goodbyes, then ran back to her sleeping body. The next thing she knew, she was awake, roused by Flameshadow's gentle call.

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Feel free to tell me if you think the story is going too slowly, or the chapters are too short, or if you have any other such problems. I love constructive criticism. 


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